Air operated figure toy



2 SHEETS-SHEET l J. N. ZELIK AIR OPERATED FIGURE "IOY Jan. 15, 1952 Filed Aug. 15, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN M ZEL 1K.

#9 7'70 P/V r Jan. 15, 1952 ZELIK 2,582,856

AIR OPERATED FIGURE TOY Filed Aug. 13, 1948 v 2 SHEETS-*SHEET 2 INVENTOR. N. 2541K,

4 TTOENE 7.

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR OPERATED FIGURE TOY John N. Zeus, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,090

1 a This invention is an improvement in educational toys, for instruction and amusement'in constructing, taking apart,re-assembling, oropcrating the same. It is, generally statedin'the same'class or art, in which a moving object is actuated by a power'elementof the windwheel type, subject to a mild airc'urrent, or heated vapor.

It comprises in its entirety, amain supporting base of thin light material, as stiff paper'or card board, or the like; an image or main item or figure of 'any selected type or form, all or apart of which, is operatively connected with the wind wheel; I and various details of construction as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, illustrating one preferred form of the invention:

Fig.. 1 is a view in front elevation showing one construction wherein an image, as a woman, ap-' pears to be operating a broom.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing connection between the image and the base, of a supporting brace. Fig. 4 isa similar detail of the rear operating lever support.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the broom.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the support for one of the swinging arms of the image.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the upper swinging arm.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the actuating lever.

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of the supporting base construction.

Fig. 10 is a reduced plan view of the blank portion for forming the top and side members of the main base.

Fig. 11 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the supporting base shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 12 is an assembly detail view showing one manner of connecting the sides of the base at the corners.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 14 to 1'? illustrate the successive steps in the making of a modified formation of the lever, for direct driving engagement by the rotor crank.

As stated, the base portion, one or both sections, is preferably made of thin and light weight material, as stiff strong paper or fibre, or the like, easily cut and deformed, and having the advantage of economy and endurance.

As shown, the main blank as in Fig. 10, of one 2 Claims. (Cl. iii-55) piece, provides for forming the maintop 2, three full depth side and end portions 3, and a partial depth portion 4, all adapted to be bent downwardly at right angles to the top on the bending dotted lines 5.

One manner of connecting the adjacent edges of the side and end portions, is shown inFig. 12',- where a tag extension 6 is adapted to tightly engage a registering slot I, of an adjacent'edge. Such connection may be readily provided for by suitable slight stock extension of the slotted edge portion 8.

A surface supporting bottom bases, generally similar in construction, is formed in the same general manner, provided with an integral middle cross arm l0, preferably of channel form as shown, having a central depressed shaft bearing socket ll. At each side of arm 40 are the open semi-circular air or vapor circulation spaces l2. lfhe uppermost topsurface portion 2 of the-upper base'is also provided with similar air or vapor circulatio'n openings l3, of approximately semi-circular form, at each side of a'middle transverse arm M, through a middle bearing'of which-extends the-powershaft I5 in the line with lower bearingl I. 1

A rotor I! ismounted upon shaft l5, as by a fixedly triangular connecting device 16, made of folded paper secured tightly around the shaft. The wind wheel rotor I! is actuated by the flow action of air or vapor, either cold or warm. It will be noted that because of the reduced width of wall section 6, an air circulation space [8 is thus provided, thereby providing for air or vapor inflow laterally, as well as vertically from below through openings [2.

Thus if vertical upward current is not available, the device may be set upon a flat closed surface and subject to any lateral flow.

It will be noted that the front side of top 2 is provided a clearance space is for the movable element, in this case a broom 29 and its handle 2|, together with simulated arm members 22 and 23, of the image 2 5. Also, immedately behind space 19 are two slits 25 into which are inserted tightly fitting extensions 26 of the feet of the image 24.

A brace 21, having a rear similar slct-and-tag connection, as at 28, with the top 2, extends through the upper portion of the image 24, and is provided with a terminal V-shaped hook 29.

The upper end of the broom handle 2| is provided with a ring 30 fitting over hook 29, for free lateral swinging.

Similar hooks 29a extend from the shoulder 3 of the image; 29b from the lower end of arm 22; and 290 from the broom handle 2i as shown. Likewise similar loops, like loop 3!] connect arms 22 and 23 with their appropriate hooks, for simulated motion, when the broom itself is actuated laterally.

Such actuation is effected through a broom terminal 3i having a loop opening 32, connected with the termina1 V-shaped hook 33 of lever arm 34, the front connecting end of which is moved laterally by the crank terminal 35 of shaft I5. The rear end of lever 34 is movably mounted, as by a bearing 36 engageable with an upward extension 31 of wall 4, and having an entrance slot 38.

The middle portion of lever arm 34 is doubled upon itself downwardly, as at 39, providing opposite sides, between which the crank arm 35 engages, tending to thrust the lever toward one side or the other, as rotated by the vane wheel 11. Such action also imparts back and forth movement to arms 23 and 22, tending to simulate actual motion by the image 24', so long as the rotor I! is actuated.

It will also be obvious that, while the lever arm 34 as shown, is laterally movable by the crank, it may be readily rearranged for transmission to the movable element of the image, or other movable element, by forward and backward movement, in edgewise alinement, as with the terminal 3 I.

In such case, lever 34a, as in Fig. 14, may be slidably movable longitudinally, with slight lateral deflection, by providing an upper short foldable extension 39a. Such extension is folded downwardly on the dotted line 39b, as in Fig. 15, and the double thickness corners of the extension are then bent downwardly and inwardly on the dotted line 40, with slight overlap, as in Fig. 16. There is thus provided, between the lever 34a and the opposite double wall reinforcement, an upwardly tapering point bearing for reception of crank terminal 35, as in Fig. 17.

Inasmuch as the material utilized is in all cases flat, and of extremely small thickness, with suitable necessary strength for erection of the base and its image, and the several parts above described, the construction gives an interesting 4 simulation of moving parts. These are, or may be, of attractive appearance, either in the form shown, or in any other suitable form, as by surface coloring or shading, resulting in an attractive and interesting article, quite sufliciently durable for a lasting period of time. It likewise is of comparatively simple and cheap construction and will remain durable and operative for an indefinite period, if not abused or broken. The several parts are easily made of suitably strong and-thin material, and even thin sheet metal might also be substituted for added durability, in which case the pivoting connections may be substituted by actual rivets or pins or the like, although at added cost.

The device as above described may be altered or modified and adapted to other movable forms.

or otherwise changed or varied, within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a toy as described, a hollow base having top and bottom air circulation openings therein, a shaft having its axis extending between said openings and a crank at its upper end, a rotor on said shaft operated by air circulating through said openings, a lever extending transversely of the top opening and having a pivotal connection adjacent one side of said base, a connection between said crank and lever for imparting an oscillatory movement to said lever in response to rotation of said crank, and an image at an opposite side of said base with a pivoted member operatively connected to said lever for oper-' ation thereby.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1 characterized by said pivoted member having its pivotal movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of pivotal movement of said lever.

JOHN N. ZELIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,573 Burkart Jan. 22, 1918 1,617,933 Yates Feb. 15, 1927 

